Review by Hillchris2013 -- Who Told You That You Were Na...

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Hillchris2013
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Review by Hillchris2013 -- Who Told You That You Were Na...

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[Following is a volunteer review of "Who Told You That You Were Naked?" by William Combs.]
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2 out of 4 stars
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Who Told You That You Were Naked? This is the question God asked Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden and the question William Combs gives new meaning to in this non-fiction/docudrama novel. Williams is a Methodist pastor of many decades and tells the story through his own explanations of biblical passages and short stories dramatizing what could have taken place in the bible.


It begins with the creation of Adam and eventually Eve and God's relationship with them in the garden. The author explains tricky language used and the nuance of biblical passages. It follows Adam and Eve through their time in the garden to their eventual fall from grace and on through the ages. Many passages that have been challenged as to their meaning and how they show the nature of God are explained with much detail. Though you may not agree with the interpretation the author puts in plenty of effort to justify his opinions.


What I enjoyed about this book is that the author fills the pages with information on the origins of words and some cultural history and explanations. This book offers a unique perspective and education that even non-religious people may be able to enjoy. The author’s experience with his career in religious studies really gives credit to the information supplied. I did enjoy the dramatization of certain events throughout the book, but there is a lot of reliance on fiction/dramatic retelling for a non-fiction book.


I think that the author at times stretches his explanations too far and does not do enough to address the counter arguments to his ideas. There are also parts of the novel with random little stories from people expressing their experiences with God and Christianity. These little bubbles add a nice emotional element, but they are truly random and do not add anything to the actual subject of the book.


After reading the book and considering it, I would give this book a 2 out of 4 stars. However, as a non-fictional book it has a lot of fictional aspects and it often will explain one small part for a bit too long. The writing was slightly chunky overall and it lacked flow in some areas. This book has potential to be a great read if you enjoy specific things like examining languages, historical fiction, and religious studies. If it were tweaked in several areas it could be a wonderful, educational read in general.

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Who Told You That You Were Naked?
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